This manic Monday, I would like to tell you the story of very handsome Bhikkhu who Soreyya, the rich man thought about having a wife as good looking as Maha-Kaccana,and then Soreyya turned to be a lady!! You may read "Soreyya" that I posted at page 7 here.

Maha Kaccana (Kaccayana) was one of the most eminent disciples of the Buddha,considered chief(etadagga) among expounders in full of the brief saying of the Buddha,(sankhittena bhasitassa vittharena attham vibhajantanam). He was born atUjjeni in the family of the chaplain of King Candapajota, and was calledKaccana both because of his golden complexion and because Kaccana was the name ofhis gotta (clan). He studied the Vedas, and, on the death of his father,succeeded him as chaplain. With seven others he visited the Buddha, at therequest of Candapajota, to invite him to come to Ujjenii. Kaccana and hisfriends listened to the Buddha's sermon, and having attained arahantship, joinedthe order. He then conveyed the king's invitation to the Buddha, who pointed outthat it would now suffice if Kaccana himself returned to Ujjeni.

Arrived in Ujjeni, Kaccana lived in the royal park, where the king showed himall honour. He preached constantly to the people, and, attracted by hisdiscourses, numerous persons joined the Order, so that the whole city was oneblaze of orange robes. It is said that after having duly established the sasanain Avanti (one of the four great monarchies in the time of the Buddha, theother three being Magadha, Kosala and Vamsa) Kaccana returned once more to theBuddha.

It is said (DhA.ii.176) that even when Kaccana was living at Avanti, a longdistance away, he went regularly to hear the Buddha preach, and when the chieftheras took their places in the assembly, they always left room for him. On onesuch occasion Sakka showed him great honour, falling at his feet, and the Buddhaexplained that this was because Maha Kaccana kept his senses well guarded.

Bhikkhus, if you develop and make much this one thing, it invariably leads to weariness, cessation, appeasement, realization and extinction. What is it? It is recollecting the Enlightened One. If this single thing is recollected and made much, it invariably leads to weariness, cessation, appeasement, realization and extinction.Anguttara-Nikaya: Ekanipata: Ekadhammapali: PañhamavaggaBuddhanussatiSCVSMVMMBS

I have no direct knowledge if the Thera actually did it but this is what the Thais conceive of him, hence the pic...oft confused with the Chinese Budai or Hotei...

Bhikkhus, if you develop and make much this one thing, it invariably leads to weariness, cessation, appeasement, realization and extinction. What is it? It is recollecting the Enlightened One. If this single thing is recollected and made much, it invariably leads to weariness, cessation, appeasement, realization and extinction.Anguttara-Nikaya: Ekanipata: Ekadhammapali: PañhamavaggaBuddhanussatiSCVSMVMMBS

plwk wrote:I have no direct knowledge if the Thera actually did it but this is what the Thais conceive of him, hence the pic...oft confused with the Chinese Budai or Hotei...

Dear plwk,I'm from Thailand and I know for sure that almost every Thai people know the dhammapada story about the disguise of Maha-Kaccana....(he was so sad after Soreyya apologized to him and suddenly became a man again.....since then Maha-Kaccana disguised himself to be fat/not looking good.yawares